1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a maintenance technology of a power generation system, and it particularly relates to a distributed-type power generation system and a maintenance system and maintenance method utilizing the distributed-type power generation system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today new technologies, such as IT (Information Technology) and biotechnology, are making their appearance one after another on the global scene. Despite such a trend, the energy industry remains one of the largest basic industries. Recently, along with the growing awareness of the global warming and other environmental problems, the human society is placing great hopes on the so-called new energies. In addition to their environmental aspects, the new energies present such advantages as low transmission loss and security of power supply because their energy production can be distributed close to power consumers. Moreover, it is expected that developing the new energies have a secondary effect of creating new peripheral industries.
Serious efforts to develop new energies began on the heels of the oil crisis of about 30 years ago. Today, the new energies, whose development is entering the stage for practical applications, include, for instance, the reproducible energy from solar power generation, the recycling energy from wastes power generation, the high-efficiency energy from fuel cells, and the energies in new areas such as for clean energy cars.
Of these, the fuel cell energy is one of the energies attracting particular attention of the industry. The fuel cell produces electricity and heat at the same time, using a chemical reaction of atmospheric oxygen to hydrogen made by mixing water vapor into natural gas or methanol. This mode of power generation produces only water as the byproduct and is highly efficient in the low-output range and stable without being affected by the weather. The solid polymer fuel cells, whether for home or other stationary use or vehicular use, are considered to be one of the standard energy sources in the nest generation.
The power generation systems using solid polymer fuel cells are today on the way for practical applications after trial manufacture. The wider use of the fuel cells depends on cost reduction. While the initial cost is the problem to be solved by the developers, the operation cost and the merit of their use depend on the running cost and the lifetime of systems using the fuel cells.
Thus, to realize the wide use of fuel cells, it is not only necessary to technically improve the fuel cells themselves, but also to create a business model structuring the environment in which the fuel cells are used. It is particularly necessary to prepare an appropriate and efficient maintenance scheme of the power generation systems for stable and long-term supply of electric power.